Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base game. In many of these gaming machines, the award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Generally, symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur provide higher awards. In such known gaming machines, the amount of the wager made on the base game by the player can vary.
Gaming machines which provide cascading symbol or tumbling reel games are also known. In one such cascading symbol or tumbling reel game, a gaming machine generates and displays a plurality of symbols on a plurality of reels in a symbol display matrix or grid. This symbol display matrix includes a plurality of symbol display positions. Each symbol display position is associated with a specific row and a specific column of the symbol display matrix. In such a cascading symbol game, the gaming machine evaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for each winning symbol combination formed. The gaming machine then removes and discards the displayed symbols that form the winning combination(s) of symbols to create one or more empty symbol display positions. The gaming machine shifts zero, one, or more of the remaining displayed symbols downward into zero, one, or more of the created empty symbol display positions of the reels. If any empty symbol display positions remain, the gaming machine generates and displays a symbol for each remaining empty symbol display position. The gaming machine then reevaluates the displayed symbols and provides an award for any winning symbol combinations formed. If winning symbol combinations continue to be formed, the gaming machine repeats the steps of removing generated symbols of the winning symbol combinations, shifting generated symbols, generating new symbols, and evaluating generated symbols.
There is a continuing need to increase the level of excitement and entertainment for people playing gaming machines. There is also need for new ways of providing better gaming experiences and environments at gaming machines.